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29 October 2010

Whoops....Almost forgot this one.
Here's the last leg of the Apex Halloween sale, a promisingly morbid collection.

"Apex Halloween One Day Sale-THE BLACKNESS WITHIN-40% off today only!

From Africa to Australasia, from Europe to the US, take a terrifying journey led by world-renowned and up-and-coming authors of horror. See how Moccus, the Celtic God of fecundity, brings His barbaric brutality to the twenty-first century. Experience the nightmare of an apostle unable to live up to His teachings in “Dreaming” and, in “Without Mercy,” witness the torment of those who can. But it doesn’t stop there. Even hundreds of years after Mocuss’s death, His savage reign continues for those who dare to question, as you will discover in “For They Are As Beasts” and “Abattoir Blues.”

Thirteen stories–some menacingly dark, others violent and rapacious–will show you a future where death is a blessing. With senior editor Gill Ainsworth, you know you are in for one heck of a ride—especially at 40% off. Drop by the Apex Publications Store and get yours today (Oct 29)."

I haven't bought or read this one yet, but from the descriptions and the cover, it gives me an impression that it's got the same caliber as the early Mythos stories, or the early work of Robert Bloch, which would definitely put it on my radar. I'm going to go grab a copy right now...may I suggest you do the same?

27 October 2010

It’s not the end of the world—it’s just zombies. Chris is an ordinary guy with a boring job, a perfect fiancée, and plans for a happy, if predictable, future. But when the dead stop dying and become, instead, simply “changed,” ordinary isn’t so comforting anymore. Wandering stray animals suddenly develop a taste for flesh and brains, and while most of the human zombies might be harmless, can anyone really be sure?

For a novel that is both horrifying and satirical, THE CHANGED by BJ Burrow will make your day. Especially at today's one day sale (Oct 27) of 40% off. Drop by the Apex Publications Store and get yours now.

Don't forget, any customer who buys any book between Oct 15th and Oct 30th will have their name put in for a raffle of awesome prizes: A critique Apex Magazine Fiction Editor, Cat Valente, or $25 gift card for Amazon.com, or an Apex Minion pack, or a $10 gift certificate to the Apex Store."

This one is actually next up on my reading list. I love a good zombie novel but, like vampires, I suspect that the vein (heh) is quickly getting played out through overuse. Still, if I can count on anybody to offer me some good zombie fiction, it has to be Apex, whose publications could be called anything but cliche. I've never read anything by Burrow, but a sample of this book convinced me that it would be worth the read. Why not give it a try?

22 October 2010

Another day, another great Halloween sale from Apex Books. This time around it's Fran Friel's "Mama's Boy", a collection of horrifically good short stories from a Stoker nominated author. I know I've reviewed this one before somewhere, but darned if I can find it. Naturally, I enjoyed this book, as I do almost everything from Apex. I did find that the writing wasn't quite as polished as some of their offerings, but the stories in the collection were great fun to read, and anybody looking for some good fright literature this Halloween would do well to check this one out.

The Bram Stoker Award-nominated novella “MAMA's BOY” is the cornerstone of this 14-story collection from author Fran Friel and Apex Publications. This collection features a special introduction by Gary A. Braunbeck. For a collection of horror classics from award winning author, Fran Friel, you can do no better than MAMA's BOY. Especially at today's one day sale (Oct 22) of 40% off. Drop by the Apex Publications Store and get yours now.

“Fran Friel has a genuine gift for storytelling. Her highly adaptable prose boils over with emotion: love, guilt, fear, and the myriad shades between. Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales marks the arrival of a stunning new talent.”
—Michael McBride, author of the God’s End trilogy and Bloodletting

Don't forget, any customer who buys any book between Oct 15th and Oct 30th will have their name put in for a raffle of awesome prizes: A critique Apex Magazine Fiction Editor, Cat Valente, or $25 gift card for Amazon.com, or an Apex Minion pack, or a $10 gift certificate to the Apex Store.

20 October 2010

"Twenty for one. Twenty souls for his brother’s life is a price that seductively beautiful Samson is willing to pay. Twenty souls drenched in blood, powdered with cocaine and more than one kind of ecstasy. A fair trade for the life of a brother. A fair trade for the life of a priest. And everyone he meets seems so willing to give theirs away.

ORGY OF SOULS is a horror novella measuring the price of a man by Maurice Broaddus and Wrath James White you really should read. Especially at today's one day sale (Oct 20) of 40% off. Drop by the Apex Publications Store and get yours now.

“Broaddus and White are an unlikely pairing of talents that works astonishingly well. Orgy of Souls is a powerful, innovative work of fiction and one I recommend wholeheartedly. A damned fine read!”
—James A. Moore, author of Deeper and Cherry Hill

Don't forget, any customer who buys any book between Oct 15th and Oct 30th will have their name put in for a raffle of awesome prizes: A critique by Apex Digest Fiction Editor, Cat Valente, or $25 gift card for Amazon.com, or an Apex Minion pack, or a $10 gift certificate to the Apex Store."

A good deal on a good book. I've read this one myself and really enjoyed it. The two authors are an unlikely match, one (Broaddus) a ministry worker, and the other (White) a hardcore horror writer. The end result is something similar to the work of Clive Barker, as deep as it is horrific, and well worth the read. Apex is asking folks all over the help them promote this today, but I wouldn't post it if I didn't believe in it, so it's dead straight and on the level when I tell you that this is a book most readers will enjoy.

06 October 2010

I was trying to create a rain effect similar to that in "Sin City" and came across this nice rain brush by Faeth-design over at Deviantart. There's some other nice brushes available under their profile as well; take a look.